Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez has undergone surgery on his shoulder after sustaining an injury in Indonesia. His recovery timeline is still unknown, but it’s a concerning development for his entourage.
Marquez fractured his collarbone after tangling with Aprilia rider Marco Bezzecchi at the start of the race at Mandalika. The initial plan was simply to let the bone heal, with the world champion sitting out the Australian Grand Prix and the subsequent race in Malaysia.
But Ducati revealed on Monday that, following a further check-up, Marquez required an operation to avoid ‘residual instability’ in the joint. He’ll continue to recover at home, and ‘his progress will determine the timing of his return’.
Michele Pirro will replace Marquez at Phillip Island this weekend. After the Australia/Malaysia back-to-back, there’s one week off, leading into the season-ending Portugal/Valencia double-header.
Ligament damage worries Marc Marquez’s entourage
According to report from Catalonian publication El Periodico, Marquez’s entourage are now ‘considerably’ more concerned than they were just after the Indonesian GP. They initially saw the injury as ‘part of the game’, but now they realise it’s serious.
They’re aware that similar injuries have led to ‘very long absences or poor performances’ from some of Marquez’s rivals, past and present. Indeed, fellow veteran Maverick Vinales continues to struggle at Tech3.
Vinales injured his shoulder at the Sachsenring in July, missing three GPs as a result. He has struggled since attempting a comeback post-summer break, and has now decided to sit out again.
It’s worth noting that Marquez’s injury isn’t quite as severe. But there’s certainly a possibility that the effects bleed over into 2026.
Valentino Rossi’s shoulder trouble is a warning to Marc Marquez
Back in 2010, Valentino Rossi injured his shoulder in a motocross accident and was tormented by the issue all season. He too had surgery when the campaign had concluded.
While Rossi wasn’t suited to the Ducati in 2011, the lingering effects of that operation may also have contributed to what was, at the time, a career-worst seventh place in the championship.
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Marquez has already come back from four surgeries on a fractured humerus between 2020 and 2022. He won’t be daunted by this setback.
The Spaniard didn’t miss a single race between 2013 and 2019, but has now completed just one of the last of the six seasons in full.
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